Now live on Amazon!

I don't have the "Look Inside" feature up and running yet, and it might be a few days before I have the ebook file working--having formatting issues on that one--but the paperback is up and live on Amazon.  As with any POD books, the prices tend to be higher than what you'd pay for a bestseller paperback in, say, Walmart.  Just know that the writers of these books have no control over that.  You can keep the price somewhat reasonable, per CreateSpace, by going with their most common trim size which is 6 x 9, and that's the size I went for.  POD publishers set the minimum price--not the authors.  Just so you know.

Per the email I received, it may be weeks before the "Look Inside" feature is active.  It's done automatically.  I'm very anxious to see that up and running, as I think it's entirely necessary for a writer in my situation, or should I say "predicament."  Unknown writer, debut title, self-pubbed?  No way I'll sell even a single copy until prospective buyers are able to look inside and check out the storyline somewhat, and gauge the level of writing.  Even then, if I sell so much as ten copies, I'll just figure I've been sucked into an alternate universe.  I'm just so excited!

This title is Christian fiction.  I am a Christian children's writer, mostly of fantasy and mystery.  I don't trade morality for 'tension' or decency for 'character flaws' or the Christian worldview for 'keeping up with the times.'  I don't subscribe to the notion that Christian fiction--particularly that which is written for kids--has to be boring, schmaltzy, or out-of-touch.  It can be fun.  It can be hilarious.  It can be adventurous. 

I also don't get bogged down in 'tribalism.'  If you're looking for Christian fiction that chains itself to a particular denomination or doctrine, you'll be sorely disappointed.  Any book I write can be read by any Christian child, and this first story is no different.

My own denomination is another story.  I was raised Catholic, am now studying Orthodoxy, and feel quite to home in either church.  You will find links on this blog to websites and online radio stations for both denominations.  And I don't care what denomination you are, your heart's gotta be made of little frosty ice cubes to not enjoy a loaf of raisin Monk's bread!  Yum!  Seriously, we don't need any more in-fighting, back-biting, divisiveness, and negativity than we already have.  No tribalism.  Only a fool divides his own numbers.

And then there's John 13:35 to contend with.    

This is the first book in a series.  Mickey and the Gargoyle is about an eleven-year-old boy and his nine-year-old sister who go looking for a lost baseball and instead, end up finding a portal.  Kind of a modern version of Wizard of Oz where the tin man, scarecrow, and lion that help Mickey and Fidget find their way through the dark, creepy underworld are three gargoyles named Grigori, Constantine, and Otto.

Gargoyles are, so far, only portrayed as evil monsters--in books, movies, video games, and cartoons--and yet, historically, they were made for scaring evil away from churches.  But as Mickey said, "What kind of a monster guards a church?"  That's not a monster at all--that's a protector.

To me, that absolutely screamed "undiscovered hero in Christian children's fiction."   And given current trends toward dark and gothic themes, this series will appeal to those interests and still manage to satisfy that without glorifying or glamorizing the dark side of the world or the dark side of people.  It does not take kids down a dark path and then attempt to redeem itself at the very end after the damage is done.  

I have another series in the cradle stage that I hope to be an exciting, funny Christian parallel to Encyclopedia Brown or Joe Sherlock.  I hope it will also remedy some of the hostility and downright bullying that is approaching fever-pitch in this country and culture against fat people.  Not stout, heavy, 'big-boneded' or any other euphemism.  Fat. The word is fat, and I don't mind a bit because it's not the word that hurts.

Why is this issue important to me?  Because bullying is bullying, and I am the fat kid. 

There's nothing like it in the world...

...holding your very own book.  About the only time I have for reading a book is on the buses I ride every day on my way in to work, and this time, I'm reading my own story.  Too exciting!

 

And no, I never thought I'd see the day!

I'm reading it through again.  Pray I find no errors.  I've read it so many times, I've nearly got it committed to memory, but this is the proof copy.  I want to approve it this weekend so I can get the book live on Amazon.  If I see even one more error, I have to start the whole process over again and I just don't want to get bumped back to square one again.  I've spent too much time on that square.

Mickey and the Gargoyle

Mickey and the Gargoyle

I've never been much of a blogger, but I now find myself in the unique position (yeah, right) of having written a book.  If I sell ten copies, I'll do several back-flips on a trampoline that's been set on fire.  I need to be blogging if I want people to find me and find my book.  That's just the way of things in the world today.  And I've decided not to harass, harangue, or cajole friends, relatives, coworkers, and passing acquaintances into buying my book.  There are still lines out there that I refuse to cross.  No spamming friends on Facebook and Twitter.  No arm-twisting. 

My book's just about ready to go live on CreateSpace and Amazon, though I want to go on the soapbox for a minute in order to give you a heads-up about ordering through Amazon.  Excellent website, however, the self-published, POD (print on demand) books ordered through that site are printed at a different facility than the ones ordered through the CreateSpace website, even though they are the same company.  

The problem isn't with the Amazon website--it's the printing facility.

However, a lot of writers who go the route of POD and have their books listed on Amazon are frustrated with the binding problems.  We write a book, someone expresses enough interest and confidence in that title to go to the bother of ordering it, and they receive a book, open it, and pages fall out.  Writers like us are already fighting tooth and nail for the slightest bit of respect and validity, and this certainly doesn't help.

The long and short of it is this: I'm recommending that anyone who decides to order my book for their kid, please order through the CreateSpace listing that is linked above.  I'm sure Amazon will address the binding issues at this facility where they print the POD titles, but until then, go to CS.

Off the soapbox and back onto the issue at hand:  I've never been so excited in my life.  This book is the first in what will be a series.  This is Christian children's fiction, fantasy/mystery, and middle grade--that's readers aged 8 - 12.  In the world of Christian fiction, fantasy falls under the heading of 'speculative.' 

This story is a modern-day Wizard of Oz of sorts, with eleven-year-old Mickey Walker and his nine-year-old sister, Fidget, finding themselves trapped in 'the dark, creepy underworld.'  Their 'tin man, scarecrow, and lion' are three gargoyles:  Grigori, Constantine, and Otto.  

Perhaps this strikes some as an odd premise for Christian fiction specifically, and children's fiction in general.  Gargoyles are portrayed in books, magazines, video games, and even cartoons as vicious, evil monsters.  Perhaps they neglected to check the history books.  First, gargoyles were created in order to cast water from buildings.  Medieval gutter spouts.  That's what they were, primarily, and that just doesn't sound too scary to me.  

Second--and more importantly--they were designed to scare evil spirits away from old churches.  Doesn't sound like a malevolent being to me.  As Mickey says in this first book, "What kind of monster guards a church?"   He then very accurately determines they're not monsters--they're protectors.  The whole idea of this just absolutely screamed out "undiscovered hero in Christian children's fiction" to me, and I think it worked quite well.  Hopefully, your kid feels the same way.

And finally, I want to put in a word here with regard to the book's illustrator, William R. Palacio.  I'm not much for commercials, but if I feel strongly about any product or service, I'll put in a good word for them, and without any money changing hands.  If this guy isn't absolutely up to his eyeballs in work, there's something tragically wrong.   I still can't believe I was able to afford him.  Are you kidding?  I'm a bus rider.

If you're writing a book, particularly a children's book where this artist really shines, you better email this guy. 

This guy isn't just amazing--he's affordable.  Those two things don't usually go hand-in-hand.  You only ever get one or the other...unless you hire William Palacio.  Check these out:

Bill's glowing recommendation aside, this book will be live on both CreateSpace and Amazon--barring any unpleasant/unforeseen issues when I review the proof copy--by the weekend.  My heart's all aflutter.  :)

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